MK opening strategy that worked!

[SCOTTOHIOCPA]

Myself, DW, DD 13, and DS 7 hit the MK on June 13. We just missed the rope drop ceremony, but immediately got on the first train out of the Main St. station at about 9:10. My DS 7 walks really slow, so the train got to where we were going a lot faster. We arrived at the frontier station ahead of just about everyone except a few peolple who had practically run to the back of the park. I got a FP for Splash Mountain, which was currently not open yet, and then we rode BTMRR twice with no line. Then Splash opened, and we rode it with no wait. We then went over to Pirates of the Caribbean and rode with no line. I got FPs for the Jungle cruise, then we went back to Splash M for our second ride of the day. Our jungle cruise FPs had a few minutes before they were OK so we went up in the Swiss Family Tree house until it was time. My next plan was to FP Haunted mansion while watching country bears, but alas, the HM FP machines were DEAD and covered with bags. We decided to eat an early lunch before the crowds got big, since it was about 11:15.

This plan worked really well for us, so I decide to share it with my fellow DIS'ers

 

[jsmla]

Bumping up this great advice. We've done the first train thing several times and are always some of the first to arrive at Splash Mt. Sooo much nicer than the crowds rushing down Mainstreet.

Jennifer

 

[Micca]

That's a great tip. Nice of you to share.

 

[Bouncing4Tigger]

That is great advice, thanks for sharing!! Although I like walking up Main Street, so not sure if I would do it, but never know, maybe if it isn't my 1st day at the MK for my trip maybe I will.

 

[disneyaggie]

I, too, like to walk up Main Street. But this certainly is a great idea! Thanks for sharing!

 

[nemomama]

Thanks for sharing - great advice!

 

[kilee]

That's a great trip. I may have to try that on our next trip. Big Thunder is my favorite MK ride- so it would be great to do it first w/ no lines.

 

[jswalker1981]

My one question was how was fantasyland when you got around to it? I know that most of my favorite rides are in frontierland and adventureland, but I do like the rides in fantasyland. So how was that after your lunch?

 

[Glass Slipper]

Bringing up fantasy land is a great point! I love the mountains...but I do enjoy Peter Pan, Snow White and Pooh. I can't stand navigating through the stollers by lunch and especially in the afternoon. We used to always hit thunder first, but now we've changed to heading straight to fantasy land and working all of the mentioned above with zero wait, practically no traffic and your done in about 15 min...then can go ahead and hit Philharmagic. By then it's nearly 30 min...you can still head to Frontierland with minimum waits. This also works fantastically if you go in on an early EMH. By the time you then finish with Fantasyland you are waiting with a good position at the ropes in order to head over to the Splash and Thunder with nearly no wait. Just another idea!

 

[TLC371]

Thanks for the great tip...we might have to try that when we go in October.

 

[AngelEyes]

That's our strategy as well! Go to the back of the park while everyone is running for Tomorrow Land. Works every time!

 

[Leota]

Sounds like you think the way we do. This & the Epcot strategy you posted are pretty much exactly what we did in April with great success. Including 2 rides on BTMRR without getting off the train. In fact, the second trip on BTMRR, there were only 4 of us on the Train!

BTW - The HM FP machines will never be used again. Apparently it was a Disney Oops! While on the KTTK tour we asked about them. The story we got was that they put the machines in, then realized there was no good point at which to merge the FP & the SB lines. They tried different merge points, none of which worked well, so they canned the HM FP altogether. Having experienced the different merge points, I agree that none of them worked well...

 

[SCOTTOHIOCPA]

Since we have been many times, the only rides we HAD to see in fantasy land was Philharmagic and Pooh. We hit both of these in the early evening around 6:00 or 7:00 with about 10 minute waits. We did pass through fantasy land several times during the day and found it gridlocked with strollers and 1 hour waits for Peter Pan/Dumbo/Snow White. Fast pass times were even worse - I remember seeing Peter Pan FPs for 2:30 around 11:15 - Yikes! 3 hours for what we don't consider an E ticket ride.

This day was an evening EMH that I don't think was published on Disney's website. In the past, we have been able to ride all the rides in Fantasy land in the last two hours of the day with no wait, this time the lines never went down. Judging from the huge crowds of people coming IN to the area instead of the usual OUT, I would guess that many people with EMH priviledges were getting in 1 or 2 rides on stuff that closed at 11:00 and then they were planning to go the big ticket rides that stay open until 2:00 am.

Thanks for all the positive feedback.

 

[novastar]

when did you cover tommorowland?

 

[SCOTTOHIOCPA]

We went into tomorrowland at 3:00 to pick up FPs for Space Mountain - they were for 7:50. Then we left the park at 3:00 and ate early dinner in the contemporary and went to the Polynesian, too. We came back to the park around 6:00 and went to the tomorrowland rides from about 7:00 until 11:00 with a break at 10:00 to see wishes from the bridge directly under the cable that Tinkerbell flies down. I got a Stitch FP as soon as the SM FP time came, and then two more FPs in a row for Buzz right after Stitch. Due to the EMH hours, Tomorrowland was packed right until the time we left at 11:00 and we had to sneak out through that restaurant to leave because the main bridge was packed with people coming IN to tomorrowland for the EMH rides.